Guinea pig rescuer in Shillington 'overwhelmed' by food offers

Lisa's Guinea Pig Hotel & Spa has been taking in donations of fruit and vegetables

A guinea pig rescuer said she has been "overwhelmed" with offers of fruit and vegetables for her pets after a plea on social media.

Lisa runs Lisa's Guinea Pig Hotel & Spa, from her home in Shillington, Bedfordshire, where she has 28.

Due to the price of food, she asked for vegetable peelings, and in a matter of days people began turning up with donations in carrier bags.

She said looking after the animals had become her hobby and her passion.

Bubble and Squeak enjoying a light snack

In December 2020, Lisa, who did not want her surname used, purchased her first ever guinea pigs, Bubble and Squeak, as a present for her son Teddy, eight.

To get help and advice, she joined Facebook groups, where she kept seeing posts advertising unwanted guinea pigs.

"I thought 'Another two wouldn't hurt', so then I got Cagney and Lacey and it snowballed from there."

Poppet was a "very shy little lass", Lisa said

She has travelled all over the country to collect pets that "people no longer want".

Lisa said: "I just love them. I can't bear to see them mistreated."

She hopes to retire from her job so she can take even more in.

Donated food has been left by Lisa's house and she has also travelled to pick some up

She said the "hotel" was self-funded, but due to the "enormous amounts of fruit and veg they eat on a daily basis, it can be quite expensive".

She appealed via Facebook for food donations, including peelings and of slightly perished items.

Straight away she had offers of help.

"There's so much doom and gloom around at the moment, to have a community of people who're willing to go out their way and support me is heart-warming," she said.

"I'm overwhelmed. I didn't expect this kind of response at all."

She said she currently had enough food, but hoped the supply needed daily "will keep on coming".

Barbara (left), Ruby and Poppet have made themselves at home at the spa